Poultry chilling apparatus



May 5, 1953 G. w. JOHNSON 2,637,066

POULTRY CHILLING APPARATUS Filed June l5 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l ifa/way.

May 5, 1953 G. w. JOHNSON 2,637,066

POULTRY CHILLING APPARATUS Filed June 13, 1949 2 SI-IEETS--SHEET 2 fa/Way.

Patented May 5, 1953 POULTRY CHILLING APPARATUS Gordon W. Johnson, Raytown, Mo., assignor to Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas City, Mo.,

a corporation of Missouri Application .I une 13, 1949, Serial No. 98,859

(Cl.l 17-11) 3 Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in poultry chilling apparatus, and has particular reference to apparatus of the cold water bath type.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a poultry chilling apparatus comprising a tank adapted to contain cold water or the like, and novel means for raising and lowering poultry into said tank.

Another object is the provision of a poultry chilling apparatus of the class described having a broad flexible belt secured along one edge of said tank and passing around a drum at the opposite edge of the tank, whereby when said belt is unreeled from said drum, said belt, and any material supported thereon will be lowered into said tank.

A further object is the provision of a poultry chilling apparatus of the class described above wherein the flexible belt is of open mesh construction, Whereby cracked ice or the like will fall through the belt into the tank when the poultry is raised from the tank.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and efficiency in handling heavy loads, and adaptability to handle various types of material other than poultry.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a poultry chilling device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. l, with the belt partially wound on the drum.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged and foreshortened fragmentary sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 2.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral i applies to a preferably rectangular tank open at the tcp and supported by a plurality of iioorengaging castered wheels 4. Said tank is formed to present an outwardly turned flange 5 extending around the upper edge thereof. A shaft 8 is disposed across the top of said tank adjacent one edge thereof, the end portions of said shaft resting on flange 6. Stops IIJ fixed to said flange prevent lateral movement of the shaft and stops I2 fixed to said ange prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. Said shaft is thereby adapted to oscillate axially.

A drum I4 having rigidly fixed end discs I6 is disposed across the top of tank 2 along the edge thereof opposite shaft 8. At its respective ends said drum is provided with stub axles I8 which are carried rotatably in bearings 20 and 22 fixed to flange 6 of the tank. To the outwardly extended end of shaft I8 adjacent bearing 22 is fixed a sprocket 24, said sprocket being operatively connected by means of chain 26 with sprocket 2B. Sprocket 28 is mounted on the output shaft of gear reduction unit 30, which is mounted securely on a plate 32 xed to tank flange 3. Said gear reduction unit is manually operable by means of a hand crank 34. A stop rod 3% is carried slidably on the upper surface of plate 32 in keepers 38, and is provided with a handle 4G by means of which the stop rod may be moved into or out of the path of crank 34.

A flexible belt 42 extends across tank 2, being secured along one end to shaft 8, and along its opposite end to drum I4. Said belt is of such length that when it is unreeled from drum I4 it will hang downwardly into tank 2 and lie along the bottom thereof. When the belt is reeled on drum I4, it is elevated from the tank, and extends more or less straight between the drum and shaft 3. It will be noted that belt 42 comprises a plurality of wires disposed transversely of the belt, each of said wires having substantially the form of a helix partially flattened out present a generally zig-zag shape, as best shown in Figs. 4 to 6. Each of the wires is interengaged with the adjacent wires, and the corresponding ends of each successive pair of wires are Welded together as at 44. Thus a belt is formed having in effect links which are very short longitudinally of the belt but which extend the full width of the belt. This provides the necessary flexibility for permitting the belt to be rolled on the drum.

In operation, the tank is first filled with water and cracked ice or the like, and belt 42 is rolled on drum I4 by turning crank 34, after moving stop rod 36 out of the path of said crank. Dressed poultry is then laid on the belt, and crank 34 is turned to lower the poultry into the iced water. More poultry may then be placed in position, and the belt lowered still farther into the tank, until the entire tank is substantially full. Thus the poultry may be positioned carefully one bird at a time, even in a deep tank, thereby eliminating damage to the poultry which would result from dropping or throwing it into the tank.

When it is desired to remove the poultry from the tank, crank 34 is reversed and turned to reel belt 42 on drum I4. The gear reduction unit 3G may be such that a single man may handle a very heavy mass of poultry. It is, however, ap-

parent that drumilf-coufld be driven Jo'y a motor or other power unit 'if desired. As-the-belt'is taken up by drum I4, the poultry will gradually be lifted above the surface of the iced water, and? it may be removed one fowl at a time; 'This-elim:-U inates the necessity of the operator reaching into the ice Water to remove the poultry-:therefrom:- and permits a single operator-to-handle---a--m-uchfdeeper and larger tank. As the belt is raised above the level of the waterfin the-.-.tank-.,the;. Water and ice will pass through the openings in said belt. The size of said openings `may -befvaried according to the=- size of the poultry or other-:material tofberhandled. Constructingzthe belt of -iwiref has 'theadvantages--ofprovisngmaX-t imunn-strength'witlrnninimnmzarea, and adapte abilityzto-gb'e :treated ito: .resist corrcsiongb'y .-Water.

and by the bodily fluids of ther-poultry:-V Theabelt is. securedz tot shaft 8aand'; drum f. i4 f by welding,

but other fastening'would:be used; As-'shown-in- Figs; thefbelt'issfxed to drum .Illfsuostantially tangentiallyfin order ,-to:-facilitatefwindingof fthe belt :orrthe drum: The-oscillation" ofshaft A8 -pere mits the-.chain toi assumez-any anele-with--resoect to the ',-horizont-alatits linefof connection with saidshaft: thereby eliminating bending strains in3the Vchain linkadjacent sa-Zd fshafti While-gA I @have .-shown a'; specifica-embed im ent -of mty-invention, it isfapparent that many-minor variations of construction and.- operation couldbe-fmade-Without departing-from theespirit oftheinvention.'

What I claim is:

1;-.In .poultry-chilling apparatus; anelon'eated;l opentop tank; anelongated-memberrotatably carriedby-.theftankfin .parallelism ,with the-longitudinalaXis--ofthe -tankf adjacent the -open top thereof; and-.a belt adapted .to Yreceive alternate-,- relatively-I superimposed rlayers .fof -naked .ice fand poultry,- Asaid, belt `connectinf.r the-member .the tan-hand :beine adapted :to-demand from tbefonen top ofetheatank-in .a loopfvvithi-n--the:tank-saidA belt comprising -a-number vof metallic.-Wires-exv tending? longitudinally; ofthe. tank-,e eachprovided- Withfa-numberrot loo-psgthefloops lof the wires-at one edger-o-f the.-.beltbeing-:rigidlyjoined tor the mem-ber throughout the length thereof, saidr loops all-f. being,-` spira-llyinterconnected, presenting; hinge :connections -to lrender-:thebelt flexiblefor wind-ing pn. said memberto.- a-taut condition' come pletely covering said-open top -offthe-:tank bef: tween the-member and-onefedge of the-tank-.when said, memberis rotated Iinone direction- -.to.V raise saidlayerstoward said opentop ,ofthe-tank;Vv and presenting: a; plurality-- of openings.' throughout theibelt, smallerthansaidpoultry; but adapted to.pe1mit.-.passage.of .said flake-'l .icetherethrough into` ,the :tankasthelayers -areraised to the. level of .said `open .-top of theetank-.and .therpoultry reemoyedtherefrom.

2;.. In poultry. chilling;v apparatus, an: elongated, opentop, tank; afpair of spaced.. relongated meme bers carried- .by-the .--tank-.in .parallelism with the. longitudinal-.axis .of the :tan-kadjaccntthe open;

top thereof, one of the members being rotatable; a belt adapted to receive alternate, relatively superimposed layers of flaked ice and poultry, said belt connecting the members and being adapted to depend therefrom in a loop Within the tank, said belt comprising a number of metallic Wires extending longitudinally of the tank, each-providedfwith a number of loops; the loops of-the Wires 'attwo edges-of the belt b'eing rigidly joined to the members throughout the lengths thereof, said loops all being spirally interconnected; presenting hinge connections to render the belt flexible for winding on said one member tora'tautcondition-.completely covering the open topjofftheftankfbetween the members when said one^memberfis`frotated in one direction to raise said-.layerstoward-.said open top of the tank, and presenting a plurality of openings throughout th'ebelt, smaller than said poultry, but adapted to permit passage of said naked ice therethrough into theetankfas thelayers larebraised vtothe level of-:said-,iopenztop of;thef tank. and the poultry-re;- moved therefrom; Aand open' top-'stop means von the tank for mounting the othere-member'andv renderfng` the same-readilyv detachable,. .whereby the-.belt may beimovedclear.. of; said openv topof the tank..

3.- In. ,poultry-chilling---apparatus.- an'zelongated; open top tank; a-pair of spaced, elongated .members rotatably carried bythe.- tank. in vparallelism with the-longitudinalaxis. of, the tank adjacent the open ton thereof; abelt adapted-to receive al-v ter-nate, relatively .super-imposedlayers of3i'laked.

ice and poultry.- said ,-belt-tconnecting the incr-aber-s andbeing adaptedto derzendrtherefrom in a. loop; Within `ther-tank,- sa-idfbelt comprising a-number of metallic Wires extending longitudinally -ofA theetank, each. .pro-vided .With a-number zof lloops, the-loops of-.the-Wres-at two edges of the bel-t be-i ing-rigidly--joined to the members vthroughout the lengthsthereof,-said loops -all b'eingv-spiralw Ainterconnected,- presenting; hinge, connections-to. render the belt iieXiblef-for Winding onone of 'the members,` to axtaut1 condition .completely covering-theopen top ofthe tank between .the members-.when said ,one-1 member. is rotated inA one direction to raisesaid-.layersy toward said openu top; of the; tank, andfzpresenting a plurality of openingsthroughout the belt, smaller than saidpoultry4 but/.adaptedto-permit ,passage of saidiaked ice therethrough into the tank .as the-lay-r erszareraised to the levelof said-open top of `the tank and the. poultry removed Atherefrom; open.

top stop means; on vthe tank-for rotatably mountingA the.- other. member and-rendering the vsame readilyy detachable,- Whereby the belt may-be moved clear of said open top of the tank; agear,

reductiomunithaving cits output .shaft operably connectedwithsaid. .one member; and means-for shaft of said gear reduction' turning the input unit.

GORDON W. JOHNSON.

References-Cited.. in the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name' Date 378,670-` Fletcher- Feb. 28, 1888 507,903.'r HancockV Oct, 31, 1893V 752,506 i' Bartlett 2 Feb. 16, 1904 '766,742'.y Swinscoe Aug. 2, 1904 405,157 McKee Allg." 6, 1946 

